One century later: the folk botanical knowledge of the last remaining Albanians of the upper Reka Valley, Mount Korab, Western Macedonia

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Cassandra L Quave⁷  Kevin Cianfaglione³  Valeria Kolosova⁶  Behxhet Mustafa²  Avni Hajdari²  Anely Nedelcheva¹  Besnik Rexhepi⁴  Andrea Pieroni⁵ 

[1] Department of Botany, University of Sofia, Blv. Dragan Tzankov 8, Sofia, 1164, Bulgaria;Department of Biology, University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina”, Mother Teresa Str, Prishtinë, 10 000, Republic of Kosovo;School of Environmental Sciences, University of Camerino, Via Pontoni 5, Camerino (Macerata), I-62032, Italy;Department of Biology, State University of Tetova, Ilindenska, Tetovë, Republic of Macedonia;University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, Pollenzo/Bra, (Cuneo), I-12042, Italy;Institute for Linguistic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tuchkov pereulok 9, Saint Petersburg, 199053, Russia;Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, 550 Asbury Circle, Candler Library 107E, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

关键词: Balkans;    Traditional Knowledge;    Mavrovo;    Ethnobotany;   

Others  :  862496
DOI  :  10.1186/1746-4269-9-22

 received in 2013-03-04, accepted in 2013-04-04,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Ethnobotanical surveys of the Western Balkans are important for the cross-cultural study of local plant knowledge and also for obtaining baseline data, which is crucial for fostering future rural development and eco-tourism initiatives in the region. The current ethnobotanical field study was conducted among the last remaining Albanians inhabiting the upper Reka Valley at the base of Mount Korab in the Mavrovo National Park of the Republic of Macedonia.

The aims of the study were threefold: 1) to document local knowledge pertaining to plants; 2) to compare these findings with those of an ethnographic account written one century ago and focused on the same territory; and 3) to compare these findings with those of similar field studies previously conducted in other areas of the Balkans.

Methods

Field research was conducted with all inhabitants of the last four inhabited villages of the upper Reka Valley (n=17). Semi-structured and open interviews were conducted regarding the perception and use of the local flora and cultivated plants.

Results and conclusion

The uses of ninety-two plant and fungal taxa were recorded; among the most uncommon uses, the contemporary use of young cooked potato (Solanum tuberosum) leaves and Rumex patientia as a filling for savory pies was documented. Comparison of the data with an ethnographic study conducted one century ago in the same area shows a remarkable resilience of original local plant knowledge, with the only exception of rye, which has today disappeared from the local foodscape. Medicinal plant use reports show important similarities with the ethnobotanical data collected in other Albanian areas, which are largely influenced by South-Slavic cultures.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Pieroni et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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